After the Giants
by Chloe O'Shea
Summary: SPOILERS don't read this if you haven't finished DH. If you have read it, this picks up right where the book ends. It's a whole new year at Hogwarts baby.
1. The Train

Ok, so this is my first shot at a Harry Potter fic! Constructive criticism is welcomed, flames are not.

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As she watched her parents' faces shrink in the distance, a surge of excitement swelled up in Rose. She was going at last. She was finally going to Hogwarts, the famous wizarding school where her parents had met, where they'd had so many adventures. The place where Albus Dumbledore had served as headmaster, where the dark lord Voldemort had gone to school, and where he had been defeated. The train whistle blew as they left King's Cross Station completely, heading out of London towards the country. She looked up and down the corridor of the train. Her parents had met on this very train, their very first year. Would she make any new friends this year? She already had James and Albus, but she'd known them forever. There must be all kinds of people at Hogwarts...Rose couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"Hey, shouldn't we find somewhere to sit?"

Al tapped her shoulder. He looked just as excited as she was. Albus Potter was not incredibly tall, or incredibly strong. His hair was a dark like his father's, and he had a few freckles. What stood out about him most were his eyes. Two generations building up the color, they were deep green and piercing. Words didn't even come close to the emotions his eyes conveyed. Right now they were wide and filled with joy as he waited for Rose.

"Yeah, I guess we should,"

Rose replied, smiling.

Rose's hair was a little bit more brown than red, and not very dark.. It was an auburn kind of color, and her eyes were a light brown. She was small and slender, and her skin was fair. James had told her she looked like honey when she was younger, and chased her around with a bear doll he had. They part of the memory with the bear wasn't very nice, but now that she was older she liked to think of herself as a honey kind of person.

They set off down the isle to find that most of the compartments were full, until they reached one with only three people in it. One of them Rose recognized as the blond boy her father had pointed out earlier, Scorpius. The others were a blond girl and a boy with dark, curly hair and a piggish nose. None of them looked nice, but Al poked his head in before Rose could stop him.

"Can we sit here?"

He asked brightly.

The girl started to say something, but Scorpius got there first.

"Yeah sure,"

he smiled gently at them, and Rose found herself blushing a little when he locked eyes with her. The girl brought the moment crashing down though.

"_You're _Rose Weasley. Your mother is Hermione Granger, a _mudblood_,"

she sneered at them.

Rose was shocked. She had never encountered anyone so blunt in their disgust for her, or her family. Speechless, tears sprang into her eyes.

At that moment James came bouncing in.

"You guys come on, I've been looking everywhere for you, I have to introduce you to Billy and Elaine...,"

he trailed off at the sight of her tears. Looking back and forth between Rose and Scorpius, who was still looking at her, his face tightened in anger.

"You bastard...,"

he snarled at Scorpius, who stared calmly back at him.

"No James, it wasn't him-"

Rose tried to explain, but James just grabbed her's and Al's hands to pull them out. As they were dragged away she heard Scorpius' voice rise angrily.

"What is your problem?!"

"_My_ problem, what's wrong with you! I thought you came from a respectable family!"

Their voices faded, then disappeared.

"James, it wasn't him, it was that girl,"

Rose tried again, but James wasn't listening. He was muttering curses to himself, which seemed to help calm him down because when they reached his compartment he seemed much more cheerful. They were greeted loudly by a boy with sandy brown hair as they entered.

"Jim! Is this your brother?"

Billy threw a chocolate frog at James as they all sat down.

"Yeah, this is Albus and that's Rose."

Billy shook each of their hands exaggeratedly and Elaine smiled and waved from her seat. She had wavy black hair and seemed rather quiet, but still friendly. For the rest of the way there the three older ones talked about their summers and tried to scare Al and Rose about Hogwarts.

"You'd better look out for Professor Snow, she's a piece of work. And Professor Coursbie, and Professor Longbottom, he's about the meanest teacher there is,"

Billy warned them. James winked, and from then on the two first years didn't believe a word Billy said. As they grew closer and closer to Hogwarts, the unhappy meeting with the girl left Rose's mind, until she had almost forgotten it ever happened.


	2. The Sorting

oooh, a new chapter! amazing!

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When they arrived at the edge of the lake hours later, Rose and Al were greeted with a suffocating hug from Hagrid.

"Got 'here alright then?"

Their half giant friend asked them, probably a bit louder than he meant to.

"Yeah,"

The two first years replied breathlessly, looking around. The view of the castle, with it's reflection on the lake, was astounding. All of the windows glowed with warm light, making the school seem mysterious and welcoming at the same time. The stars shone brightly, adding to the magical feeling. Rose kicked Hagrid gently to get his attention.

"Are those the boats?"

She asked eagerly, pointing to a small fleet at the waters edge.

"Wha-? Oh yeh, that's them. Alright, firs' years, over 'ere!"

Hagrid yelled to the scared looking bunch of kids.

"No more 'an four to a boat, c'mon!"

Rose and Albus clambered into a boat, followed by a girl with blond curls and a boy who could have been a younger, fatter copy of James.

"I'm Corbin, Corbin Donally,"

the boy held out his hand.

"I'm Albus Potter,"

he said, shaking Corbin's hand.

"And this is Rose Weasley,"

Al continued before Rose could introduce herself. She shot him an annoyed look as she shook Corbin's hand.

"I'm Andrea Bunting. Most people call me Andy,"

the girl smiled at them.

"I'm so excited to be here!"

Andrea exclaimed as they neared the castle.

"I know, me too! I feel like I've been waiting forever!"

Rose agreed.

"So...your parents are...?"

Corbin questioned.

"Yeah, they are. Hagrid! Are we almost there?"

Al answered, and changed the subject quickly, yelling at Hargid who was ahead of them.

"You know Hagrid?"

Andrea turned to Rose in amazement.

"Oh yeah, he comes over for dinner and stuff all the time,"

Rose replied happily.

"My Mum talks about him all the time. She works for the Ministry negotiating on behalf of other magical races. She says that this is just the kind of thing our world needs, is some one responsible like Hagrid working at Hogwarts to show everyone that other races are just as smart and capable as wizards are,"

Andrea beamed at Hagrid's back in admiration.

Rose did her best not to laugh at anyone referring to Hagrid as "responsible".

Albus and Corbin were discussing which houses they hoped to be in.

"I really hope I'm in Gryffindor, but I guess I'd be ok with any of them. Except Slytherin..."

Al said excitedly, and Corbin nodded.

"Right. I think I'll probably be in Hufflepuff, all of my relatives have been there."

"What about you?"

Rose asked Andrea.

"Well, everyone thinks I'll be in Gryffindor because my Mum was there, but I don't know. Ravenclaw would be alright I suppose...You?"

"I think I'll probably be in Ravenclaw or Huflepuff,"

Rose smiled. True, both her parents had been in Gryffindor, but she herself had never been, or felt, very brave. She preferred to avoid conflicts, and never knew what to do with herself when they couldn't be avoided. Hagrids booming voice interrupted them.

"Alright, c'mon, into the hall! Now you lot wait 'ere, they'll let you in soon!"

All of the first years bustled into a large hallway where they'd been told to wait. After a few minutes a middle aged wizard entered and spoke to them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts! I'm Professor Longbottom. You're about to enter the Great Hall to be sorted into your Houses. While you're here you will eat with your House, have class with your House, and compete to gain points for the House Cup. After you have been sorted, go sit with your house and we'll begin eating. Now follow me,"

and with that he opened the huge wooden doors and led them to the end of the Great Hall to where a shabby looking hat was sitting on a stool. Rose could feel all the other students staring at them as the hat sang it's song. Looking around, she caught Scorpius' eye. He recognized her and started making his way over to her. She didn't see the other two that had been on the train with him, so they must have been older...

"What is he doing..."

Albus growled, watching the blond boy.

"I imagine he's going to talk to us. What have you got against him anyway?"

"Donally, Corbin!"

"He's a stuck up prick, that's what. Have you forgotten about the train this morning?!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose stared at him disbelievingly for a second.

"Al! _You were there!_ It was that girl!"

"Torres, Belinda!"

"Didn't stop her though, did he?"

Al said fiercely.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Rose was speechless.

"Potter, Albus!"

Al walked off, still glaring, seconds before Scorpius reached her.

"Hi, I'm Scorpius Malfoy,"

he smiled and offered her his hand. She took it, but was still too surprised by her cousin to manage a smile in return.

"Rose Weasley,"

she said, even though she knew he knew who she was.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

He took a deep breath and looked at the floor for a minute.

"I...wanted to apologize for what Geneva said on the train earlier. You looked like you might cry, and I wanted to make sure you were alright..."

He said quietly.

Rose blinked at him for a second, then blushed furiously.

"Me? Oh no, don't worry about it, I'm fine-"

"Weasley, Rose!"

Her name was called to her great relief. This wasn't exactly what you would call a conflict, it was quite the opposite. All the same, it made her flustered and unsure, so avoiding seemed like the best thing to do in Rose's opinion. The though of the whole school watching her seemed lik e nothing compared to continuing her conversation with Scorpius as she sat down on the stool and let the hat res on her head.

'_Ah, a Weasley...It's been awhile since we had one of you...so now, where do you go...?'_

'_Anywhere, I'm happy anywhere...'_

She though desperately.

'_A bit preoccupied eh? Well then, I'll decide myself...'_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose made her way to the cheering table, keeping her eyes down until she reached Al and James. It was only once she sat down to watch the others being sorted that she realized how ironic her sorting was. Rose looked around at her fellow Gryffindors, then wouldn't let her eyes leave the sorting hat. Scorpius was been sorted into Slytherin right after her, provoking jeers and hisses from James and Albus. Corbin was in Gryffindor, and Andrea was in Ravenclaw. As the last girl was sorted into Ravenclaw, the Headmistress Minerva McGonagall stood up and called them all to be quiet.

"Welcome, and welcome back to Hogwarts! I want to remind you as we start this year that, despite your separate Houses, this school is meant to be a place of unity and friendship. I encourage you to not be limited by your Houses when it comes to sociality. Now, we'll sing the school song and then you may eat!"

As soon as they finished singing the song, countless types of food appeared before them on the tables. Albus and Corbin were talking excitedly about something, leaving Rose feeling rather alone all of a sudden. She moved her food around on her plate, not really wanting to eat anything. James seemed to notice her change in mood and poked her gently.

"Are you ok?"

She looked up at him quickly.

"I'm fine."

The look on his face guaranteed he didn't believe her.

"Are you still upset about what they said on the train? Don't pay any attention to them, those kids don't know shit about your parents, or anything,"

"James Potter, I'm going to write your mother about your language,"

Rose threatened jokingly. They both smiled before she grew serious again.

"But James, it wasn't _them_. Scorpius didn't say anything mean at all, he even cam over and apologized to me about her too. Why are you two so set on hating him, you don't even know him?"

"Neither do you,"

James gave her a curious look. He seemed to find it very odd that she was standing up for some one who was _obviously_ no good.

Rose rolled her eyes at him.

"You're right, and _I don't hate him._"

James shrugged as if to say, 'whatever, we'll see', and turned back to his friends.

Rose got around to putting some of her food in her mouth and discovered that it was very good. For the first time since they'd been sorted she looked around the room. Scorpius was laughing with his friends. Rose smiled and decided that she should do the same, joining in on Al's conversation with Corbin.

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OK. I found out after I wrote this that McGonagall is not actually the headmistress, due to oldness. But you know what, whatever, I think she's cool and I don't think I can come up with a better person for it.

Suggestions are greatly appreciated!


	3. Fred and The First Day

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As they were led by a prefect through the castle towards the Gryffindor tower, Rose stopped in front of a section of the wall that didn't look as aged as the rest. What really caught her attention was a grinning portrait of a young man she recognized from a family album her father owned. He had bright red hair, a long nose, and he waved enthusiastically at her when she stopped.

**In loving memory of**

**Frederick Weasley,**

**who** **died defending Hogwarts, Hope, and Life**

"Albus, come look at this!"

Rose called breathlessly.

"What is it-...wow...can he hear us?"

Al joined her staring in wonderment at their deceased uncle.

"Of course I can hear you! You both look like relatives, who had who?"

The portrait asked brightly.

"My parents are Hermione Granger and Ronald Wea-..Ron."

Rose said.

"Harry Potter and Ginny"

Al pointed to himself.

"Ah, so you're James' brother. Both of you in Gryffindor?"

The pair nodded, and the mention of Gryffindor brought Al's attention back to the present.

"Rose! Where'd they go?!"

Rose looked around, but the rest of their house was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh no, this is my fault, wait here for a moment."

Portrait-Fred vanished, and re-entered his frame a few minutes later.

"Here he comes,"

he pointed down the hall, where they saw a friendly looking ghost witha ruffled collar gliding towards them.

"Nick, these are family members. Kids, this is Nearly Headless Nick. He'll show you how to get there."

"Delighted to meet you! Now, follow me, stay close!"

Rose waved at Fred as they walked away with Nick. She wondered if George knew about this painting...

When they got to the common room there were only a few people left. Albus decided to go to bed, but Rose didn't think she could sleep if she tried. Feeling alone again, her thoughts returned to the sorting hat. It must have been a mistake, simple as that. There was no way that she, Rose Weasley was meant to be in the same house as daring, risk-taking Albus and James Potter. There was just no way. She had always been the quiet, cautious one. Not that she hadn't envied them, their fearless stunts and miniature adventures. Of course she wished she was like them, but she'd never quite been able to step over her own personal lines and take that leap. And now she was trapped in a house set apart by it's courage. Slumped in a chair in front of the fire, Rose thought she might cry.

The hours passed calmly, and the next morning she was awakened by James shaking her. Blinking confusedly, she discovered she had never left her chair. James looked worried.

"Are you sure you're ok Rosie?"

"Yeah I just...fell asleep..."

She was still too dazed to explain, if she really felt like explaining at all. Close friends as they were, she wasn't entirely sure James would understand her fear, and she was almost positive Al wouldn't.

"Al and his friend already went down for breakfast, do you want me to wait for you?"

James sat down in her chair when she got up. He hadn't really meant it as a question, just informing her that he would wait.

"I'll just be a minute,"

Rose smiled gratefully as she ran upstairs to change and brush her hair.

Walking down to the Great Hall, James brought up another subject she would rather have avoided.

"Rose...That Malfoy kid..."

He sounded reluctant, as if he didn't want to upset her.

"I know we don't really know him, you're right. But really, he's in Slytherin, and his family is...well, they aren't exactly saints. My dad's told me loads of awful stuff Draco did when they were here-"

"James..."

Rose tried to interrupt, exasperated. James stopped walking and turned to face her.

"I'm not done, please listen to me Rose. Believe me, I wouldn't be telling you this if I wasn't truly worried.."

The look on his face made Rose's stomach turn. He was serious. Speaking a little lower now, he continued.

"That lot he hangs out with, they aren't good. While I'm almost willing to give Scorpius the benefit of the doubt, I _know _the others don't deserve it. I was here last year, remember, I've seen what they do. They hate muggles, and all people connected to muggles. Last year one of theirs got expelled for trying to get a little boy lost in the Forbidden Forest, and that wasn't even the worst of it. The kid was just lucky Hagrid was there. There were fires, vadalism, they were 5 times worse than any muggle bully. My point is, they aren't safe people, and the father away you stay from them the better."

James finished hurriedly.

Rose stared at him, shocked by what he was saying. She knew he wouldn't lie to her...

"O-ok,"

she nodded, and they continued walking. Upon entering the Great Hall James left her side to find his friends, and Rose was left to sit with Al and Corbin. Yet again she found herself uninterested in her food. Glancing around the room, she caught Scorpius' eye for a second. He tried to smile at her, but she looked away quickly. The thought of wizards hating each other for their ancestry disgusted her, but the thought of students harming other students for it...it was difficult for her to accept at all, and once she did, it terrified her. Sure she'd be sick if she actually ate anything, Rose decided to abandon the Great Hall altogether.

"Good morning Rosikins!"

Fred called to her from his frame as she approached.

"Ooh, maybe not such a good morning. Everything alright?"

"James was telling me about how last year..."

She swallowed, looking around nervously.

"Some students were hurt for having mixed blood..."

Fred's face became grim.

"Oh yeah, nasty business that. I remember several paintings were destroyed because their artists' were muggle born. There was a rumor that they were planning to drown some little girl..."

He nearly whispered the last sentence.

"Of course, most of it stopped after that one got expelled, but you never know. Oh no, I've upset you..."

Rose's face was pale.

"Now now, don't worry. I'll ask the other paintings to keep an eye out. Just don't wander off by yourself at night and you'll be fine. Well no, the rule is you shouldn't be out at night at all...ah what am I saying. Just don't get caught. And if you do get caught, don't mention me."

Rose laughed weakly, then said goodbye and headed up to get her books for class. First was History of Magic, which might not have been so bad if she'd been able to concentrate for more than 10 seconds at a time. Next was flying. The Gryffindors had that with Ravenclaw. Rose had been flying with James and Al for years, so there was nothing difficult about that class. Plus she had it with Andy, which was lucky since Albus wound up talking to Professor Wood about his father for the majority of the lesson. Andrea could fly well too, so they hovered high above the field while they talked. After commenting on the scenery(Rose made a mental note to come down to the lake when she had time) and talking about classes, the subject became families.

"My family are purebloods, the lot of them, but that doesn't really matter to me, you know? I say, 'if you're a witch then you're a witch, if you're a wizard then you're a wizard, and if you aren't then you aren't'. What does it matter who our parents are anyway? Your parents don't define you."

Rose smiled.

"Yeah, I totally agree. I mean, I love my Mum and Dad, they're great people. But not everyone is a hero like that and I'd rather just...figure it all out for myself"

Andy nodded her understanding.

"Alright you two! Come down!"

Professor Wood yelled at them from the ground as he began taking the brooms up to put away.

They were supposed to have Defense Against the Dark Arts next, but the Professor hadn't gotten to the school yet, so they were dismissed for the rest of the afternoon.

That night Rose didn't even bother going downstairs to eat. If she'd been able to sit with Andy things might have been different, but as it was Al and James were all she had, and they each had their own friends. The fire crackled warmly against the cold wind coming through the windows. Rose sighed as she opened her history book. Not having heard a word Professor Binns said, she had to read the whole chapter over before she could start on their homework. After an hour or so her eyelids started to droop, and she went to bed. Her last thought before sleeping was that maybe she was a little hungry after all...

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There you go.


End file.
